Crown

1 Thessalonians 2:14-19 - For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last. But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan stopped us. For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?

Philippians 4:1 - Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!

1 Corinthians 1:7 - Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

2 Thessalonians 1:8-10 – He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.



Conclusions:

• Paul’s spiritual brothers are his joy and crown, not only now, but especially when Christ returns
• The Philippians were told to follow Paul’s example, having their minds set on heavenly things
• Paul admonished his spiritual brothers to stand firm in the midst of present struggles for the sake of the gospel
• A spiritual gift is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit enabling one to minister to the needs of Christ’s body, the church
• Spiritual gifts are gifts of grace
• Those who do not know God does not refer to those who have never heard of the true God but to those who refuse to recognize Him
• The gospel invites acceptance, and rejection is disobedience to a royal invitation
• The Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, not simply among you
• The preaching of the gospel is essentially bearing testimony to what God has done in Christ

Application:

• Are you standing firm in the midst of present struggles for the sake of the gospel?
• Have you been enabled to minister to the needs of the church?
• Have you refused to recognize Him?
• Have you born testimony to what God has done in Christ?